Gooseneck and other types of trailers attached to towing vehicles are commonly used to transport machinery, livestock, and other goods as well as recreational vehicles. When the trailer is separated from the towing vehicle the trailer and its goods are subject to theft by the unauthorized coupling to a towing vehicle. Gooseneck trailer hitches are of a limited variety, frequently being of standard type or shapes. Examples are kingpin hitches which consist of cylindrical posts containing circumferential recesses and fit into matching openings mounted on the towing vehicle; and gooseneck hitches. The typical or standard gooseneck hitch consists of a coupler attached to the lower end of a generally vertical post, the upper end is either attached to the trailer or to a horizontal beam which is attached to the trailer. The trailer hitch coupler at the lower end of the post connects with a protruding device on the towing vehicle. The coupler itself consists of different shapes and configurations but generally has a fixed plate attached to the vertical post and a moveable plate that is offset to reduce the diameter of the opening when closed, to lock around the ball (protruding device) on the towing vehicle. Both the fixed plate and the moveable plate have a 25/16″ diameter hole that aligns when the coupler is in the receiving or unlocked position and the ball (protruding device) on the towing vehicle has a maximum 25/16″ diameter that fits in the receptacle formed by the coupler. When the coupler is moved to the closed or locked position the diameter of the hole in the coupler is reduced by at least ½″ effectively securing or locking the ball (protruding devise) of the towing vehicle with the coupler.
Other trailer hitches are used in conjunction with towing vehicles and are well known to those skilled in the art. Such hitches allow for the coupling of a towing vehicle to a non-gooseneck trailer form which would allow a towing vehicle, such as, but not limited to, a car or truck to associatedly connect to the trailer for towing purposes. Non-limiting examples of“standard” trailer hitches can be found on flatbed trailers, boat trailers, utility trailers and an almost infinite variety of application uses.
There is a need for a durable, inexpensive, simply operated, effective hitch lock for trailers, both in gooseneck and non-gooseneck (standard hitch) applications. Locking devices for king-pin or ball and socket hitches cannot be used on gooseneck couplers, because such locking devices will not fit around or be attachable to the coupler of a gooseneck hitch.
The prior art has been principally directed toward locking devices for gooseneck trailer hitch couplers that surround the coupler, obstruct the insertion of the towing ball, and utilize either a built-in lock or an external padlock; a devise that is inserted into the coupler opening but is secured by an external device that fits over the coupler locking arm and utilizes a padlock; and devices that fill the coupler with a ball that is attached to a telescoping pole that is attached to the forward end of the trailer with a padlock.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,545 issued Oct. 26, 1993 to Wheeler for gooseneck trailer hitch locking device, U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,316 issued Jun. 21, 1994 to Wheeler for anti-theft coupler device, and U.S. Pat. No. D402,602 issued Dec. 15, 1998 to Niswanger for universal gooseneck trailer lock are of the type that surround the coupler.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,871 issued May 7, 1996 to Johnson for gooseneck trailer hitch locking device is of the type that is inserted into the coupler but locks externally to the coupler locking arm and is secured with a padlock.
All of the above inventions and patents show a vulnerability either with multiple parts that are easily misplaced and difficult to assemble, padlocks and chains which are easily cut with bolt cutters, massive devices that are hard to store when not in use, or failure to obstruct the coupler opening and the coupler movement itself.
Quite distinguishable from the above cited art, the present invention relates generally to a new and novel security device for a gooseneck or non-gooseneck trailer hitch or similar article. More particularly, the present invention relates to a security device which attaches to a coupling for a gooseneck trailer, trailer hitch or similar article, thus precluding unauthorized hitching or movement of the trailer.
The concept of utilizing a security device to preclude access to the coupling opening of a trailer hitch when a trailer is left unattended is well known. U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,580 to Longenecker, U.S. Pat. No. 3,526,110 to Foote, U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,546 to Longenecker, U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,664 to Nunnink, Jr., et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,221 to Foote, U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,557 to Bulle, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,908 to Bulle, et al. are directed to security devices for a trailer hitch which utilize a lock integral to the security device. Such integral locking arrangements typically add to the complexity and cost of the security device, and the substitution of alternate locks is not readily accomplished. Also, such integral locking arrangements are often adversely affected by exposure to the environment, and thus can be rendered ineffective by moisture, freezing and thawing temperature cycles and corrosion. Further, some of these devices require an additional separate tool to secure the security device to the trailer hitch.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,571,349 to Eckles, U.S. Pat. No. 3,237,969 to Gersey, U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,741 to Grant, Jr. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,884,055 to Vuillemot are directed to trailer hitch security devices which are retained by a Padlock. Such an arrangement permits the lock to be readily changed, and typically reduces the cost and complexity of the security device. However, in these devices, the shackle of the padlock remains exposed when positioned in the security device. Thus, the padlock shackle is exposed to unauthorized removal by tools such as bolt cutters, hack saws or pry bars. Once the padlock is so removed, these security devices are rendered inoperative.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,569 to Dilk and U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,841 to Ponder both disclose trailer hitch security devices which utilize padlocks. Also, these devices include an enclosure for surrounding, and thus protecting the shackle of the padlock. However, in use, these security devices are large, heavy and cumbersome. Further, these devices would be relatively expensive to produce because of the mass of material necessary to fabricate these devices, as well as the relatively large number of parts involved.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is the provision of a security device for a trailer hitch or similar article which is relatively light in weight given its function and design, and compact in size, but yet provides protection from unauthorized removal.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a security device for a trailer hitch or similar article which does not require a separate tool to engage the security device to the trailer hitch or similar device.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a security device for a trailer hitch or similar article which utilizes a padlock and includes protection means to deter unauthorized removal of the padlock.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
A security device for use with gooseneck trailers, trailer hitches and similar articles comprising a trailer having a coupler and a security device connecting to the coupler, the security device further comprising (a) a first security chamber attached to said coupler and a second security chamber, said first chamber having a security pin orifice bored through at least one side of the chamber to allow insertion therethrough of a security pin and at least one security bolt orifice to allow insertion therethrough of a security bolt; the said second security chamber having at least two security bolt orifices to allow insertion therethrough of said security bolt; (b) a lock adapted to be inserted into the first security chamber, said lock having both lock and unlocked positions with a lock body portion dimensioned to fit within the proximal interior portion of the first security chamber and a non linear shackle portion removably retained within said lock body and dimensioned to fit within the distal interior portion of the first security chamber; and (c) a security bar having a security bolt orifice bored therethrough to permit the traversing said bar by said security bolt, the security bar dimensioned to allow insertion within said second security chamber and unimpeded passage therethrough of the security bolt via said security bar security bolt orifice.